The present invention generally relates to diapers and, in particular, to diapers which indicate when the diaper is wet.
The concept of a wetness indicating diaper is known in the diaper art, but the various attempts at achieving this have been quite cumbersome. Some of the prior art wetness indicators are located at a single location on the diaper. Therefore, various wicking methods are required to move the wetness from its original location on the diaper to the indicator location to react with the indicating substance to signal that the diaper is wet. The prior art diapers are particularly unadvantageous when the original wetting location is significantly far from the indicator location and the amount of wetness is not substantial. In this case, the limited amount of wetness, if any, that reaches the indicator may not be enough to trigger the indicating means.
In addition, the single location indicators of the prior art are often located at either the bottom or top of the diaper and, depending on the type of outfit that the baby is wearing, can be difficult to read when the baby is fully clothed. In many cases, the baby has to be virtually undressed to find the indicator mark, thus greatly limiting the utility of a wetness indicator. Furthermore, these single location indicators are not aesthetically pleasing.
Other prior art wetness indicators have utilized complex electronic circuitry to detect moisture in the diapers such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,818, issued to Macias, et al. In the Macias, et al. patent, the presence of moisture causes two isolated conduits to short circuit, and thus indicate that the diaper is wet. A detector and an indicator means have to be hooked up to the conduit to signify when the short circuit condition occurred, and therefore that the diaper is wet. These electronic wetness detectors are elaborate designs which require the addition of multiple components to the assembly and use of the diaper. In addition, placing electronics in a diaper for use with a child is undesirable, as mothers may fear possible electrocution of the child, even if this is not feasible.
Many of the prior art wetness indicating systems are designed for disposable diapers, therefore the wetness indicator systems are only intended for single use applications. These single use systems for disposable diapers can not be used in cloth diapers which, after soiling, are washed, dried and then reused. Due to the added cost to the diaper as a result of the wetness indicating system, it is desirable that the diaper be reusable from a cost efficiency standpoint.
A reusable cloth diaper needs a wetness indicating system that after drying will reindicate a dry condition and then reindicate a wet condition when the diaper is again wet. In contrast, most of the disposable indicating systems of the prior art cannot be reused. In addition, the prior art wetness indicating systems are generally not durable enough to withstand the continual washings of the cloth diaper. The washing process repeatedly subjects the diapers to detergents and heat, and the indicating systems of the prior art are not able to withstand these harsh environments.
Finally, the disposable diapers of the prior art are not reusable and therefore not recyclable. With the current heavy burden on the landfills in this country, a reusable diaper that is easy to use, and commercially appealing is needed. For these and other reasons, the wetness indicating diapers of the prior art have not gained widespread acceptance, therefore there exists a need for an improved wetness indicating reusable diaper.